Exams could worsen asthma

As thousands of students approach finals in the next few weeks, there is now evidence to suggest that the stress at this time may exacerbate symptoms in people with asthma. The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine reports that researchers from the University of Wisconsin have found that stress associated with exams can increase the sensitivity of airways, increasing the local inflammatory response to antigens such as cat dander.

Twenty undergraduates (11 men and 9 …